List of Provinces of Japan

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Ancient provinces of Japan
Ancient provinces of Japan
The provinces in 701–702
The provinces in 701702
The provinces in Kamakura period to 1868
The provinces in Kamakura period to 1868

The following provinces of Ancient Japan were in effect from 7th century until the Meiji Period. The list is based on the Gokishichidō, which includes short-lived provinces. Provinces located within Hokkaidō are listed last. To date, no official order has been issued abolishing the ancient provinces. Nonetheless, today they are considered obsolete. What follows is a list of the individual provinces along with some details.

The borders of the provinces changed until the end of the Nara Period and during the Meiji Period. From the Heian Period until the Edo Period, the borders remained unchanged.

Contents

[edit] Goki

[edit] Kinai 畿内

  • Yamashiro 山城国 (山州, 城州, 雍州)
  • Yamato 大和国 (和州)
  • Kawachi 河内国 (河州)
  • Izumi 和泉国 (泉州) - created in 716 from Kawachi Province as Izumi Gen(和泉監). Although occupied by Kawachi Province in 740, in 757 the province divided again from Kawachi)
  • Settsu 摂津国 (摂州)

[edit] Shichido

[edit] Tōkaidō 東海道

  • Iga 伊賀国(伊州)
  • Ise 伊勢国(勢州)
  • Shima 志摩国(志州) - Divided from Ise at the beginning of the 8th century.
  • Owari 尾張国(尾州)
  • Mikawa 三河国(三州)
  • Tōtōmi 遠江国(遠州)
  • Suruga 駿河国(駿州)
  • Izu 伊豆国(豆州)
  • Kai 甲斐国(甲州)
  • Sagami 相模国(相州)
  • Musashi 武蔵国(武州) - transferred from Tōsandō to Tōkaidō in 771)
  • Awa 安房国(房州、安州)- Divided from Kazusa in 718. Although occupied by Kazusa in 741, Awa divided from Kazusa in 781.
  • Kazusa 上総国(総州)
  • Shimousa 下総国(総州)
  • Hitachi 常陸国(常州)

[edit] Tōsandō 東山道

  • Ōmi 近江国(江州)
  • Mino 美濃国(濃州)
  • Hida 飛騨国(飛州)
  • Shinano 信濃国(信州)
    • from 721 to 731
      • Suwa 諏訪国
      • Shinano 信濃国
  • Kōzuke 上野国(上州)
  • Shimotsuke 下野国(下州)
  • Dewa 出羽国(羽州)
    • Since the 1868 breakup
      • Uzen 羽前国(羽州)
      • Ugo 羽後国(羽州)
  • Mutsu 陸奥国(奥州)

[edit] Hokurikudō 北陸道

  • Wakasa 若狭国(若州)
  • Echizen 越前国(越州)
  • Kaga 加賀国(加州)- Divided from Echizen in 823.
  • Noto 能登国(能州)- Divided from Echizen in 718. Although occupied by Etchu in 741, Noto divided from Etchu in 757.
  • Etchū 越中国(越州)
  • Echigo 越後国(越州)
  • Sado 佐渡国(佐州、渡州)- Although occupied by Echigo in 743, Sado divided from Echigo in 752.

[edit] San'indō 山陰道

  • Tamba 丹波国(丹州)
  • Tango 丹後国 (丹州)- Divided from Tamba in 713.
  • Tajima 但馬国(但州)
  • Inaba 因幡国(因州)
  • Hōki 伯耆国(伯州)
  • Izumo 出雲国(雲州)
  • Iwami 石見国(石州)
  • Oki 隠岐国(隠州)

[edit] San'yōdō 山陽道

  • Harima 播磨国(播州)
  • Mimasaka 美作国 (作州)- Divided from Bizen in 713.
  • Bizen 備前国(備州)- Broke off from Kibi during the 2nd half of 7th century.
  • Bitchū 備中国(備州)- Broke off from Kibi during the 2nd half of 7th century.
  • Bingo 備後国(備州)- Broke off from Kibi during the 2nd half of 7th century.
  • Aki 安芸国(芸州)
  • Suō 周防国(防州)
  • Nagato 長門国(長州)

[edit] Nankaidō 南海道

  • Kii 紀伊国(紀州)
  • Awaji 淡路国(淡州)
  • Awa 阿波国(阿州)
  • Sanuki 讃岐国(讃州)
  • Iyo 伊予国(予州)
  • Tosa 土佐国(土州)

[edit] Saikaidō 西海道 (West-Sea-Route)

  • Buzen 豊前国(豊州)
  • Bungo 豊後国(豊州)
  • Chikuzen 筑前国 (筑州)
  • Chikugo 筑後国(筑州)
  • Hizen 肥前国(肥州)
  • Higo 肥後国(肥州)
  • Hyūga 日向国(日州、向州)
  • Ōsumi 大隈国 (隈州)- Divided from Hyūga in 713).
  • Satsuma 薩摩国(薩州)- Divided from Hyūga in 702.
  • Iki 壱岐国(壱州)- Officially Iki-Shima
  • Tsushima 対馬国(対州)- Officially Tsushima-jima

[edit] Other

[edit] Hokkaidō

Renamed Ezo Region to Hokkaidō, and created 11 provinces. (1869-1882)

[edit] Okinawa

  • Ryūkyū Province 琉球国 - Independent until established by imperial decree in the Meiji Restoration. Incorporated into Kagoshima Prefecture in 1871, and the Ryūkyū-han was abolished in 1879. Okinawa prefecture was not established until 1972, when the United States returned the southern islands to Japan after World War II. At that time Ryūkyū province was reestablished.

[edit] Former Overseas Territories

  • Korea Province (朝鮮国?) - Established by the Japanese annexation of Korea in 1910. Managed less like an imperial province, and more like Ryūkyū was, as a dependent nation.
  • Taiwan (台湾?)
  • Kwantung Leased Territory (関東州, Kantōshū?)

[edit] Related links

[edit] External links

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